Concerns as another elephant ‘killed’ in Sherpur

The forest department recovered the body of a wild elephant from a paddy field in the hilly area of Sherpur's Jhenaigati upazila yesterday.

Md Makrul Islam, Rangtia range officer of the forest department, said they recovered the body of the adult male elephant after being informed by locals.

In the last five months, corpses of two wild elephants have been recovered in the same area.

Locals said the elephant might have died after it came in touch with an electric wire trap, set up to protect crops from wild animals. However, forest officials said the exact cause of death will be known after a post-mortem. The animal will be buried next to the spot where it was found.

In a quest for food, herds of wild elephants have been visiting the paddy fields in the area for the past few days. Local residents have also been trying to chase away elephants in various ways to protect their crops.

Meanwhile, leaders of local environmental organisations have expressed concerns over the deaths of at least two wild elephants in the area.

Expressing concern over the incident, Sherpur Bird Conservation Society President Sujoy Malakar and Sabuj Andolan President Md Abul Kalam Azad demanded that those involved in the killings be brought to justice.